Respice said:
My hard drive has 64 bits and is an Intel Core 2 Duo.
There's no such thing as a 64-bit hard drive. And a hard drive
wouldn't include a "Intel Core 2 Duo" or any other CPU. I assume that
you're talking about your computer, specifically your motherboard. So
you have a 64-bit computer, OK.
My version of windows XP Pro is a 32 bit version. I do not understand how this is possible.
It's possible because Intel engineers their 64-bit CPUs to be able to
run in 32-bit mode. When switched into that mode, the machine behaves
just like a 32-bit CPU. That means that it doesn't use all the
capabilities of your hardware. So why do manufacturers put a 32-bit OS
on 64-bit hardware?
This started when 64-bit computing was new, and the software -
Operating System, programs, and especially drivers for hardware you'd
want to connect - was spotty and frequently not available. So using a
64-bit OS would result in steamed customers when they couldn't connect
their favorite printer or scanner.
IMHO, software is now catching up, and we're seeing more and more
64-bit OSs on that 64-bit hardware.